Through Bird's Eyes
by AnimeKiwi369
Summary: Accompanying piece to "Psychic Connections" and "A Finals Surprise". Dove was Akiza's best friend and Crow's girlfriend and love then wife. She saw the most important moments for Yusei and Akiza and was there for Yusei after his wife left. And she hoped that one day, her best friend would return. She witnessed everything, letting her friendship with Yusei grow along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**AnimeKiwi369:** And welcome to yet another fanfiction! This is the one I may have mentioned in an earlier fanfiction that this one also ties into_ "Psychic Connections"_ and _"A Finals Surprise"_. It's only another four-shot, so this should go by quickly. Hopefully. I haven't finished the final chapter yet, though. It's my top priority though.

And I'm rating this story** 'T'**, but this chapter is just a teeny bit mature. There's nothing bad, just mentions of mature things that go on. But it's mostly parental and adult issues that happen in this fanfiction. I don't have much else to put out there, warnings or otherwise.

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or it's characters. I just own my OCs, namely Dove and Anny in this one, and the storyline.

Enjoy!

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Through Bird's Eyes

Chapter 1

Dove Merrineten sleepily opened her emerald-colored eyes as sunlight streamed through her bedroom window. She lay on her stomach with her arm resting across her boyfriend's bare chest, her legs tangled with his, her platinum blonde locks falling around them. She yawned, reclosing her eyes as she moved closer to the man she was in love with. She loved everything about him. She loved his thick and unruly ginger-colored hair and gray eyes. He was so strong, too, just like the rest of his body was great. She didn't even care that he had been to The Facility multiple times; it was the past. She didn't care that he was a Signer either.

She just loved Crow Hogan for who he was.

The two had been dating for almost five years. They had met about six months after the WRGP, when Akiza, the blonde's best friend, had introduced her to the team. The green-eyed woman and gray-eyed duelist immediately hit it off, beginning to date shortly after. They had similar interests. That had been when the blonde and ginger had been about seventeen and eighteen respectively. And now they were in their early twenties. Even though they were still young, they knew they were in love and wanted to stay together for the rest of their lives.

They just weren't ready for marriage yet, even if they were ready for a physical relationship in addition to their already great relationship. They had been living together in their apartment for the last ten months. Even if they weren't married, they didn't care; they were just a couple of rebels when it came to their relationship. Besides, it wasn't uncommon for couples to have physical relationships out of wedlock. Granted they didn't always last, but Crow and Dove had something special.

Everyone knew it and didn't care that they were living together and in a sexual relationship. They saw how much they cared about each other and would eventually get married. They were just too reckless for the time being and just wanted to have fun. They knew that probably wouldn't change when they married, but they just weren't ready for that stage yet. The two just liked being with each other.

Her lover stirred and opened his eyes, turning to look at her. He turned on his side, running his hand over her arm, "Last night was great. Just what I needed after what happened yesterday."

"Mmmm-Hmmm…" she replied. "I'm never going to get tired of this."

He grinned, "Me neither." He glanced over at the clock, his eyes widening, "Man! If I don't get moving, I'm gonna be late for practice. And Jack'll get on my case since I'm always bugging him about being on time."

"All right," she told him as he got out of bed, beginning to dress. She sat up in bed, covering herself with a sheet, "I understand with the WRGP and all."

"That only bad thing about us continuing to compete," the ginger commented as he pulled on his jeans. "When we don't have work, we have practice. We hardly have time for anything other than work and practice."

"Well, you are defending your title," she pointed out.

"I know," he said as he pulled on a fresh shirt. "At least evenings are easy."

"Like last night?" Dove asked, looking at him through her eyelashes slightly seductively.

"Like last night," he repeated, kneeling on the bed to kiss her. "Think you'll be home for lunch?"

"It's my day off," she told him amused. "Of course I'll be here for lunch. Have a good practice, Crow."

"See you later, Dove," he responded. "Love you."

"Love you, too," she told him as he left the bedroom.

She watched him close the door and lied down for a few minutes, savoring the feeling of waking up to someone she loved. She got up and put on her robe before changing the sheets and making up the bed. She grabbed a towel and took a quick shower, almost wishing her lover hadn't had to leave so they could shower together. The blonde quietly showered and dried, putting on her robe again along with wrapping her hair in a separate towel. She heard someone knock on the apartment door.

Dove quietly went to the door and opened it, seeing Akiza. Her friend was in a red blouse and black skirt. She wasn't wearing her normal gloves, but was wearing her usual stockings and high heels. Her hair was brushed in her normal style, but had a headband on instead of her energy stabilizer. She'd gained control of her psychic powers years ago, so she usually only wore her stabilizer to hold up her bangs.

"Oh, hi, Akiza," the blonde greeted, "I wasn't expecting you."

"I'm sorry to stop by like this, Dove," the redhead responded, "especially with you just getting out of the shower."

"How did you know—Oh, right," she realized midsentence. "It's not that big of a problem. Come on in," she told her friend, who came in. "So what do you need?"

The psychic sighed a little, "I was wondering if I could use one of your pregnancy tests? Yusei and I don't have any more at home, and I know you usually keep stocked even though you and Crow aren't married. And personally, I always feel a little weird when I have to buy them."

The green-eyed woman blushed a little, "Uh, sure. I'll be right back."

"Thanks, Dove," the brown-eyed woman said.

"It's not a problem," she replied, going back to her bathroom. She retrieved what her friend requested. She gave it to her friend.

"Do you mind if I just use it here?" Akiza inquired.

The blonde shook her head, "Not at all. I haven't seen you for a few days, so we can catch up. You want a cup of tea?"

"Sure," the psychic responded. "I'll be right back, then."

The green-eyed woman put on the tea and was pouring the drink as the psychic came back, carefully holding the test. She set it on a coaster as she sat down at the table in the apartment's small dining area. The blonde set the teacup in front of her friend and sat across from her. She looked at her friend who was looking from the tea to the pregnancy test.

"So, you seem a little nervous today, Akiza," the blonde commented, breaking the silence.

"I'm just nervous about another negative test," the other woman responded.

"Have you had morning sickness at all?" She asked.

The redhead shook her head, "No. I'm a little relieved about that since I usually end up with the flu after I think I've had morning sickness. I'm late though. So if I am pregnant, I just hope it's before the morning sickness kicks in." She looked down at the test again, looking for the results.

"You and Yusei really want to be parents, don't you?" Dove asked.

Akiza nodded, "We've been married for three and a half years. And we know we're ready to start a family. I've been ready to have a family since he asked me to marry him."

"Oh, yeah, that's right," the blonde replied. "I forgot that you guys thought you might have been pregnant six months before the wedding."

"And that ended up being the flu, like all the other times since then," the psychic sighed. She looked at her friend, "I really want to be a mother, Dove."

The blonde smiled softly at her friend, "I know, Akiza." She looked down at the test, "Think you have the results?"

The psychic looked down, "Yes."

"And…?" She asked, afraid of the answer by her friend's tone.

The redhead sighed, looking at test, "Negative."

"Oh, Akiza, I'm sorry," The blonde said.

"It's fine," she responded. "It's not your fault. I guess I'm just late. I just wish I could get a positive result. This is the twelfth negative test I've had in two years."

"Twelve?" Dove inquired, receiving a nod from her friend. She smiled sympathetically at her, "I'm sure you guys will get pregnant soon."

"I wish I could be as sure as you are, Dove," Yusei's wife responded, her eyes misting over. "But with all these negatives, I'm starting to think I'm not meant to be a mother."

The green-eyed woman reached across the table and put her hands over her friend's hand, "Oh, Akiza, don't say that. Of course you're meant to be a mother. It just isn't your time yet. I know that when you do get pregnant, you're going to be a great mother. But you can't get discouraged. I know you'll get pregnant soon enough, and when you do, it'll be even more special."

Akiza dried her eyes of her unshed tears and looked at her friend, smiling softly and sadly, "Thank you, Dove. You have no idea how much your support means to me."

She smiled at her friend, "You're my best friend, Akiza. Of course I'll support you. And, besides, you don't just have me. Yusei's there for you as well."

The psychic smiled again, "I know. It's still good to know I have you to confide in though."

She smiled again back, "You can always come to me, Akiza."

_**Two and a Half Years Later**_

Dove watched Akiza as she looked at the different newborn to three-month-old jumpers. The burgundy-haired woman was six months pregnant, and she was positively beautiful as she carried her child. She and Yusei had announced their news at a dinner their friends and family were invited to. Both of the Signers were so excited to be parents in a few months. The dark-haired man couldn't keep his eyes or hands off of his wife when they were near each other.

The bird-named woman couldn't have been happier for her friend. The psychic was so incredibly lucky to be expecting. She'd wanted to be a mother for years and now she was finally going to become one. Her friend had had her ultrasound the other day and was still excited over the image of her baby. She and her husband had asked the doctor to keep the gender of their child a secret until it was time or unless something was wrong. But so far, everything was fine and their baby was going to be a very healthy one.

The brown-eyed woman had needed to buy some baby things and needed to get some new maternity clothes. And since her husband was busy with the engine for the WRGP, she'd asked Dove to come along with her. The blonde woman needed some new clothes and lingerie herself, and she liked spending time with her pregnant friend.

But she couldn't help but be a little jealous of the psychic. She was so lucky to finally become pregnant. For the last several months, the bird-named woman had started to want to become a mother. Even though she and Crow were still just dating and living together, she wanted to become a mother. She wanted to know how it felt to be pregnant. All the other women were pregnant. Except Sherry. Carly and Misty were expecting though, too.

"Dove?" Akiza asked, snapping the woman out of her thoughts.

"Hmm?" She responded. "What?"

"I said I think I have enough clothing for the baby at the moment," the psychic explained. "And Yusei wants to help me pick out a crib and mobile next week. I wanted to know if you wanted to go shopping for you now before we go onto getting my maternity clothing. I need some new undergarments anyway."

"Oh, sure," Dove replied. "Did your bust size go up again?"

"I'm not completely sure," she told her. "But with my body swelling, it's probably going to happen again soon."

"All right," her friend replied. "Do you want to sit down first though? I know you get tired pretty easily these days."

"That would probably be a good idea. Let's do that after I pay for these," she agreed, holding up the baby clothes. The redhead got a surprised look on her face, but it passed as she smiled gently, looking at her swelling abdomen, gently rubbing it, "Hello to you, too, baby."

"Did the baby just kick?"

Akiza smiled, nodding, "The baby always kicks when I least expect it. But I don't mind and neither does Yusei when I tell him. Even if it's three a.m."

"You're so lucky," she told her friend.

Her friend kept smiling, "Thanks."

"I know you said that you and Yusei wanted to be surprised, but isn't there one gender you're hoping for more than the other?"

The psychic thought for a moment, "Well, as long as the baby's healthy and happy, the two of us said we wouldn't care. But I guess I'm actually hoping for a baby girl. And I think Yusei's the same way." She looked down at her abdomen, gently rubbing it again as the child moved again.

"Akiza, what exactly is it like to be pregnant?" The bird-named woman asked.

She thought for a minute again, but shook her head, "I really can't explain, Dove. It's just a wonderful feeling being able to carry a child inside of you. It's just beautiful," She laughed a little, beginning to head to the checkout. "Listen to me."

"It's no problem," she responded. "I know how much you're loving this experience."

"Yes," her friend told her, rubbing her abdomen again. "I really am loving being pregnant."

"I know," the blonde repeated to herself, smiling at her friend. "You're so lucky, Akiza Fudo. You are so lucky."

_**Six Months Later**_

Dove shifted nervously from foot to foot as she stood in front of Fudo residence. She knew the burgundy-haired psychic would be home. She was still on maternity leave for another week or so. It had been about three months since the married Signers had become parents to a beautiful baby girl they had named Annylynn Rosette Fudo. Both of them were so happy to finally be parents. The baby had funny timing though, having decided to come during the finals of the WRGP.

It had been amusing though. Everyone had been incredibly glad for them, even though they needed to find a replacement for Yusei since he was going to be beside his wife the entire time. Even if it meant his hand was broken in three places, which had happened due to his wife's grip. Both had been tired when the others came to see them, but they were fine. One of them had been holding the baby the entire time they were visiting.

The blonde hoped her friend was awake. Her friend had used one of her pregnancy tests a few years ago, and now she was hoping her friend would return the favor. She kept shifting back and forth, nervous as she waited for her friend to answer the door. She knocked lightly again. The green-eyed woman heard footsteps from the inside coming down the stairs. Akiza opened the door, rubbing her eyes; she was still in her light pink nightgown and white robe. She looked tired, and her hair was a bit messy.

"Oh, Dove," the psychic said, yawning, "I wasn't expecting you this morning."

"I'm really sorry to barge in like this, Akiza," she apologized, "but I have a favor to ask."

"It's not a problem. I should be getting up anyway," the redhead told her. "What do you need?"

"A pregnancy test," she responded hastily. "I was wondering if I could use one of yours. I'm out."

"You let me use one a few years, so all right," the other women replied. "You go into the dining room while I get you the test and Anny. It's about time I feed her. Do you mind if I nurse, Dove?"

"Not at all," she shrugged. "You're a mother now, and your baby has to drink your milk for the first few months."

"Then I'll be right back," the psychic told her, going back up the stairs.

Dove headed into the Fudo dining room and waited quietly for her friend. The psychic came back a few minutes later, holding her tiny daughter, who was half-asleep, a towel, and a pregnancy test. She handed the test to the blonde, who left the room to take the test. Akiza quietly made a cup of tea for her and her friend, carefully holding the baby. The little baby had kept her and Yusei up for a good portion of the night because she had been colicky the last few days. The baby was feeling much better now, but not before exhausting her parents.

Having the baby had changed the two Signers' lives so much. Everything revolved around her, and they needed to be so careful with her. But they loved it. Their baby had been such a blessing to them. They loved holding her, rocking her to sleep, bathing her in the kitchen sink, and feeding her, which was mostly the psychic's job. Though it was difficult, they were loving every minute of it.

She set the cup of tea on the table as her friend came back. It was kind of interesting having a reversed role. This time she wasn't the one waiting for a result of a pregnancy test. Her friend sat down at the cup of tea, and she sat across from her, holding the baby carefully. She cradled the infant into a sitting position to wake her up a little more. It would take a little bit. Anny yawned, and looked at her mother sleepily. She rested her head against her mother's arm as the psychic rubbed her cheek lightly with her thumb.

The psychic looked at her friend, "So are you having morning sickness or late?"

"Late," her friend sighed.

"Are you nervous about that?" The redhead asked.

"Nervous about getting a negative," Dove told her.

"So you want to be pregnant?" The Signer inquired, getting a nod from her friend.

"I do."

Akiza was about to respond when she heard a small sound from her arms and looked down at the baby, who was starting to whimper a little. She smiled a little at Anny as she was awake enough for the Signer to start feeding her. She rubbed the infant's cheek with her thumb again as her friend watched her. She carefully lowered the nightgown below her left breast, holding the baby's head to it as she began to drink. She looked back at her friend.

She furrowed her brow, "Dove, I know it's not really my place to ask, but do you really want to get pregnant? While you and Crow aren't married?"

"I know we aren't married," she replied, sighing. "And it's all right that you asked. I guess I feel a little left out. Seeing you, Misty, and Carly all expecting, I feel like I can't really understand certain things with you."

"Is that the only reason?" The psychic inquired, concerned.

"No," her friend sighed again. "Seeing you all try to get pregnant and succeed, it started to make me think about being pregnant. And I kind of like the idea. Akiza, I want to start a family."

"Have you talked to Crow about this at all?" The redhead asked.

The blonde shook her head, "Not exactly. Crow and I have talked about wanting a family when we're married. I just don't know when that's going to happen."

"But you know he loves you," she commented. "I'm sure he's just waiting for the right time to ask you. He probably feels he's not the one ready for marriage and doesn't want to hurt you with his not being ready."

"I know that, Akiza," Dove sighed again. "As far as I'm concerned, Crow and I are married in each other's eyes, even though we aren't legally. We've been dating for almost ten years and we've been living together for the last six. I know he loves me, and I love him. And I know I'm ready to have a family with him."

"You're positive?" Akiza checked.

Her friend nodded, "Yes. There's another reason I want to be pregnant as well."

"What would that be?" She asked, switching sides to nurse the baby.

"If I got pregnant, then maybe it'd get me and Crow a reason to get married. Or at least get us on the road to it. But I want to be a mother more than that reason though. I've thought about this for months, Akiza," Dove told her, her voice small.

"Oh, Dove…"

The blonde looked down at the pregnancy test and sighed, "Negative."

"I'm sorry, Dove," the psychic told her, reaching across to grab her friend's hand.

"It's all right," she said, trying not to sigh as she lightly shook. "Crow and I really should be married before I get pregnant."

The brown-eyed woman smiled sadly at her friend, squeezing her hand lightly, "Dove, a few months ago, you asked me what it was like to be pregnant."

"Yeah," the green-eyed woman replied. "What about it?"

"I think I finally have an answer for you. And I think it also explains why you also want to be a mother," the psychic told her softly. She took her hand away, gently rubbing the baby's head with her thumb as Anny continued drinking, "It's natural."

"What do you mean by that?" Dove asked, tilting her head.

Akiza looked down at her baby, as she kept nursing. She cupped a hand around the back of her daughter's head, "Being pregnant. It feels natural to carry a child inside of you. Everything you do, you do with the baby. It's the closest you can ever be with your child or anyone for that matter," she explained, looking down at the infant. "This, too."

"You mean nursing?" The blonde woman guessed.

"Yes," the psychic nodded. "Breastfeeding also feels natural after being pregnant. It's a way for me to still be close with Anny. She depended on me every second of every day until she finally came into the world. Even now she still depends on me for everything. I know for me at least, it was natural for me to be pregnant. And it's natural for most women to want to be mothers, so I know how you must feel." The Signer reached across and grabbed her friend's hand again.

The blonde furrowed her brow, "I think I get it." She smiled, looking at her friend, "Thank you, Akiza."

"You're welcome, Dove," she responded. She looked down at her baby, who had stopped nursing. She pulled the baby's head away carefully and pulled her nightgown back over her. She smiled softly at the baby as she wiped her mouth with the towel before setting it over her shoulder. She rubbed her daughter's stomach in circles briefly and carefully held the baby against her shoulder, lightly tapping her back until she spit up a little on the towel. She looked back at her friend, "Anny is so much work, but she's such a blessing. It's the same with all babies."

The blonde smiled, "I know."

Akiza smiled at her reassuringly, "Dove, until you're a mother of your own, my daughter is your daughter. You'll be her second mother."

The blonde's eyes watered up at the offer, "I'd like that, Akiza. I'd really appreciate that."

She cradled Anny in her arms as she stood and went over to her friend. She lightly hugged the blonde, careful of the baby, "Dove, I know you're going to be great mother when you succeed. And when you do, it'll be even more special for you."

Dove dried her eyes, lightly hugging her friend back, "Now where have I heard those words before?"

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**AnimeKiwi369:** This first chapter is kind of a melancholy sweetness, but pretty sweet overall. But the next couple of chapters aren't so sweet. I don't know when I'll next update this. I'll probably update this a few days after I next update _"Try to Remember"_, which will probably be Wednesday or Thursday. But I hope you all enjoyed! Reviews are much appreciated! Please be kind and please review! **:**]


	2. Chapter 2

**AnimeKiwi369:** Okay, so this didn't get as much attention as I hoped. But it's understandable. It is kind of melancholy, since the first chapter preceded Akiza's leaving in _"Psychic Connections"_. And some people may not like non-next-generation OCs. Or prefer their own. Oh, well. I hope that whoever is reading this is enjoying it.

Thank you to: **DGMSilverAirHead** and **PDS** for reviewing.

Anyways, here's the second chapter. I hope you enjoy whoever's reading. **:**)

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters. I just own the story line and my OCs, who are only Anny and Dove in this one.

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Through Bird's Eyes

Chapter 2

Dove couldn't believe it. Akiza, her best friend, had left. She had just got up in the middle of the night and left Yusei and their daughter, Anny, who was only a year old. The psychic had had a duel the day she left and during the final attack, her powers had started running rampant. She hadn't intentionally used her powers, but they still hurt her opponent. She had looked so scared after the duel. Her baby had also been scared, but silent. The psychic's husband had been the only one able to calm her down.

But the burgundy-haired woman was too afraid of her powers running wild again and hurting someone she cared about. So she left. She had left all of them and left a void in each of their lives. Especially for her husband and child. And for the bird-named woman as well. The blonde still couldn't believe it. Her powers had never run rampant since her days as The Black Rose. It didn't make any sense. Why would her powers just decide to go wild now when she was the happiest she'd ever been?

The green-eyed woman had taken what her friend said all those months ago to heart about being a second mother to the baby of the two Signers. She'd spent a lot of her free time helping the female Signer when she was having trouble with the baby and the cobalt-eyed man wasn't available. The baby had come to be very comfortable with the blonde. And for now, the blond was satisfied acting as a second mother to the brown-eyed baby.

She had also decided to talk to her boyfriend about her desire to be a mother. Crow had been surprised at how much she wanted to be a mother and said he wanted to have a family with her and only her. But he had also told her he would rather be married when they had a family, and that he wasn't sure he was ready to take that big of a step even though he loved her with everything.

She had told him she understood and that she wasn't going to leave him, knowing he'd be ready when she was. She wasn't completely sure if she was ready for marriage either. He had also told her, however, that he wasn't going to stop loving her and promised to try and get them on the way to marriage when he could. That he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her even if they weren't married. She agreed.

They had also decided to curb their physical relationship for a while. That way they could stay with each other, and they didn't have to worry about possibly getting pregnant. Because they had both agreed that even if they wanted to be parents, becoming them out of wedlock wasn't the best idea. They probably wouldn't enjoy it as much since they would be concerned with getting married. Since they had decided to put away their sex life all those months ago, they had actually felt closer and had been happier.

Dove snapped out of her thoughts as she pulled into the driveway of the Fudo residence. Since Akiza left a few days ago, no one had really seen hide or hair of Yusei. He had called to let the others know she left and that he wasn't going to be available for a while. He had said he needed to quell his emotions before returning back to work. No one had seen him since. And the blonde was concerned for him and Anny.

She got out of the car and headed up to the steps and lightly knocked on the door. She waited for several minutes without a response. The blonde put a hand on the doorknob and twisted it, finding it unlocked. She opened the front door a little, peaking inside. It was dark in the house, but she could hear the baby crying upstairs. The green-eyed woman quietly slipped into the house, shutting the door, beginning to head up the stairs.

"Anny, _please_ stop crying," she heard Yusei beg as she reached the top of the stairs. The blonde had never heard him use that tone of voice before, "Daddy's here. _Please_, Anny."

She stopped in front of the Signer's bedroom door. Anny was crying hard. The bird-named woman heard another sound from inside the bedroom from the cobalt-eyed man. He was choking back sobs as he tried comforting his baby girl. It really sounded like he was struggling. Dove took a deep breath and tapped on the door of the bedroom before cracking it open. She looked inside.

"Yusei?" She asked, but didn't get a response. She opened the door a little more, "It's me, Dove. I came to check up on you." She still didn't get a response from him and opened the door all the way, looking inside.

"Dove," he whispered, looking at her.

The blonde looked over him and to the baby, who was still crying, but now crying quietly. Yusei was a mess. An absolute mess. His hair was disheveled and his sleep shirt and boxers rumpled. He wasn't even dressed. There were dark circles under his eyes and worry in them; he didn't look like he'd slept in a while either. The green-eyed woman also noticed that there were some tear stains that were dried on his cheeks. There was a thin layer of stubble on his face as well, indicating he hadn't showered or shaved in a couple of days. There was something else he was clutching in his left hand as well. He held baby Anny, who was obviously a wreck; she still had tear coming from her eyes.

Then she noticed the red wine bottle on the bedside table. It was a little more than half empty. She noticed that the room smelled a little like the wine; not much, but it still made her stomach turn.

"Yusei?" She asked in surprise, "Have you been drinking?"

He glanced at the bottle, collapsing on the bed. He put the baby on the bed and put his head in his hands, "I know it was a bad idea, but I couldn't help it."

"Have you been drinking wine this entire time?"

He shook his head, "I tried to last night. But it just started giving me a headache after a couple of hours. And I had to take care of Anny. It just made me sick knowing I couldn't take care of Anny if I was drunk, and I just couldn't stomach any more wine. So I stopped before I got drunk. I couldn't. Not if I wanted to take care of Anny," He gave a hollow laugh. "What kind of father am I? Trying to get drunk to forget and try to take care of a child? I must be the worst father in the world. I can't even take care of myself."

The blonde looked sympathetically at him as she went and sat on the bed next to him. She put her arm around him, "No, Yusei, you're not."

"I just feel so lost. I don't understand why she left," he said, repressing a sob. "I could have helped her."

She rubbed his arm, ignoring the extremely small tinge of wine on his breath, "I don't understand it either, Yusei. But you have to be strong."

He looked at her, "I know. But I'm not sure I can do this by myself. I was able to keep from drinking too much, yes, but that was because I had to think of Anny."

"That's the first step," she told him, squeezing his upper arm. "And you won't be doing this by yourself, Yusei." He looked over at her, "Because you have me. Yusei, Akiza was my best friend. Her leaving really hurts, I know. But all of us—me, Crow, Jack, Bruno, the twins, everyone—we're here for you. And I'll help as much I possibly can with Anny."

"Dove…" he trailed off.

She smiled gently at him, "Besides, you and I both know that Akiza only left to protect us. Especially you and Anny."

He sighed, unclenching his left hand, revealing his wife's locket, "I know, Dove. She loved me and Anny more than anything and hated seeing either of us hurt. Even when Anny was colicky, she hated seeing her like that. I just wish I could have been able to convince her otherwise."

She squeezed his arm again, "All of us know, Yusei. But you just have to raise Anny with all the love you can and hope that Akiza comes back someday. Raise Anny like you and Akiza planned to." She smiled at him softly again, "Sound like a plan?"

He nodded slowly. He grabbed his daughter and put her in his lap, putting his forehead against hers, a tear escaping his eye, "Anny, I'm so sorry I haven't been able to be good father to you these last couple of days. I promise I'm going to love and raise with everything I have."

The baby had stopped whimpering and cooed a little as if understanding. The dark-haired man hugged her tightly against his chest, placing a kiss on her forehead. Dove smiled at them; she did miss her best friend. But she still had to live like her friend would have wanted her to. And have her husband and daughter live the same way as well. The blonde stood up and took the baby from him.

"Yusei," she said, "I'm going to help you until you feel you're back to normal, okay?"

He nodded, "Thank you."

"Let's start by getting you in the shower," she ordered. "I'll take care of Anny for a few hours while you clean up and get in a nap. You look exhausted," she looked at the baby. "Anny does, too."

"I don't think either of us has slept for three days," he commented, getting up. "She just wouldn't stop crying. And she just didn't want to eat. I finally got her to eat something last night, though. After I stopped drinking."

"All right," the green-eyed woman replied. "I'll wash and change and feed Anny while you shower. Then the both of you are going to take a nap while I clean up the house for you. After you wake up, I'll make you something to eat, Yusei. That sound all right?"

He nodded, "Thank you, Dove."

She smiled, "No problem, Yusei."

The blonde grabbed a fresh set of clothes for the baby as the Signer headed into the bathroom. She went into the bathroom of Anny's eventual bedroom and grabbed the baby soap before going down to the kitchen. She filled up the sink as she pulled off the baby's clothing. The green-eyed woman placed the infant in the water, briefly remembering when she had helped Akiza wash the baby just a couple months ago. The baby whimpered again, catching her attention. She looked at the dark-haired baby.

"I'll be here for you, Anny," she told her, drying her teary eyes. "I know I can't replace her, but I'll be a surrogate mother to you." She shook her head, "No. I can't exactly be that. I'll be your aunt." The blonde smiled, rubbing the baby's cheek, "Just call me Aunty Dove."

_**A Few Hours Later**_

Dove silently closed the door to Yusei's bedroom as she finished placing a basket of clean laundry at the foot of the bed. The dark-haired man was fast asleep on top of the bed after having taken a shower. His daughter was lying on top of his chest, also fast asleep. After washing, changing, and dressing, she took a brief break from the baby, setting her in a sling-like carrier, and went up to the bedroom. She had quickly changed the bed sheets, cleared the wine bottle from the room, and lit a few scented candles to get rid of the faint smell of alcohol. It was working well.

Afterwards she had gone back down the stairs and fed the baby, who was anxious as she was moved around. After finishing with the baby, who was being cooperative with eating and wasn't being messy, the blonde had taken her back upstairs to settle her down for a nap. The Signer had been finishing up his shower. He was still exhausted though.

So the bird-named woman had decided to help him out some more. She had gathered up the laundry that had to be done and taken it out of the room. The blonde had let the cobalt-eyed duelist sleep while she took care of the laundry, dusting, dishes, and general cleaning. She'd also gotten the mail and sorted out and paid bills. She had called Crow a while ago and asked him to stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things after he got off work. The green-eyed woman had also told him the state his friend was in when she found him.

She had then told him to bring it the groceries to the Fudo residence, so the bird-named couple could make something for Yusei to eat when he woke up. She answered the door as the ginger-haired man knocked rather loudly. She pulled him in, taking one of the grocery bags, leading him into the kitchen.

"He was in pretty bad shape, huh?" The gray-eyed Signer asked as they set the grocery bags on the counter in the kitchen.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I wish we had come to check on him earlier."

He sighed as well, "Yeah, me too. It was a mistake for all of us to ignore the hurt he was experiencing. We should have come by after he called."

She smiled sadly, "We should have. We can make up for it now. I say that we get everyone together tomorrow to show him we're all here for him."

"I think that sounds like a good idea," he agreed. "Just like the idea to make him dinner and spending the evening with him."

"I thought so," she smiled.

Crow placed his hands on her waist, pulling her to him, and kissed her lips briefly. He pulled away with a light smile, "Let's get that dinner ready for Yusei."

_**Another Couple of Hours Later**_

Yusei stirred in his sleep, slowly waking up. There was a small weight on his chest, but he knew it wasn't Akiza. He let his eyes open gradually, letting them adjust to the darkness of the room. He looked up at the weight on his chest and let himself smile a little. The Signer lifted his hand and gently rubbed Anny's back in circles, carefully waking the baby in the process. He carefully held her to his chest as he sat up. She smiled up at him as he cradled her in his arms. She looked like she had gotten the rest she needed. He placed a light kiss on her forehead as she nuzzled his chest.

"Hey, Anny," he told her softly.

He looked over at the clock, finding it past six in the evening. Dove had come by around ten that day. After she had taken his daughter downstairs, he'd gone into the bathroom to clean himself up from his mess of a self. He'd showered, shaved the stubble off his face, put on clean clothes, and washed out the taste and hopefully the smell of alcohol from his breath. He'd almost trimmed his hair, but didn't think he could do it as well as his wife use to.

But he looked like his normal self and felt more hopeful than he had that morning. Especially after the sleep he'd just gotten. Crow's girlfriend had really helped.

The cobalt-eyed duelist slowly swung his legs over the bed and stood up. He looked at his baby girl and smiled softly at her, "You hungry, Anny?"

She made one of her baby sounds, answering his question.

"Let's get you something to eat, then," he told her, walking from the bedroom down the stairs.

The lights in the house were on and there was a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Was Dove still there? That would be really nice if she had. Wait, she had said she was going to make him something to eat when he got up. He went into the kitchen, seeing both the blonde woman and ginger-haired Signer. Both looked over at him as he stood in the kitchen doorway.

"You're looking much better, Yusei," the green-eyed woman commented. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he told her. "Thanks to you."

"It's good to see ya, buddy," Crow said. "Hope you're hungry."

"Starving," he replied, "but you guys didn't have to go to this much trouble."

"We really don't mind, Yusei," the blonde responded.

"We wanted to do this, Yus," the ginger added. "We're here for you."

"You guys…" the dark-haired man trailed off. "Thank you so much."

"It's not problem," the couple told him in unison.

"I think what we made is just what you need," his childhood friend commented. He came over to him and bent down slightly to look eye level with the baby. He grinned, "And I'm sure this little gal is hungry, too. What do ya say, little bird? What your Uncle Crow to feed you?"

The baby blinked and turned into her father, "W…an…t…. P…a…pa."

Yusei blinked as he looked down at her, "Anny?"

She made a baby sound as she looked up, "Pa…pa…"

He smiled softly and hugged her lightly, "That's right." He looked at his friends, who were also smiling softly at the baby, "I should feed her. Sorry about that, Crow."

The said man shrugged, "She's your kid." He grinned, "Besides, I'll get plenty of other chances to feed her for ya. Just promise me that."

The dark-haired man nodded, "Sure."

_**Later that Night**_

Anny slept soundly in her father's arms as it neared nine that night. Crow and Dove had stayed and had dinner with them and helped to clean up dishes. They had told him they had set up for the others to get together to show the dark-haired Signer that they were there for him. The couple was getting ready to leave, though. The baby didn't stir as he walked with his friends to the door.

"I really appreciate you guys coming over here," he told them again.

"I was no problem, Yusei," Crow insisted. "You're our friend."

The dark-haired man turned to the blonde woman, "I'm really glad you came today. You really helped me out." He stepped towards her and embraced her, careful of his daughter, "Thank you, Dove. For everything you've done."

She smiled and returned the gesture, "You're welcome, Yusei. I'm here for you if you need anything."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied as the two pulled away from the embrace. "It's getting late. You two should head home."

"All right, Yus," the ginger told him. "But don't hesitate to call us or the others for anything, okay?"

"Okay, Crow," he reassured. "'Night guys."

"'Night, Yusei," the bird-named couple said simultaneously as they left.

The cobalt-eyed man waved to his friends as the ginger got on his runner and the blonde got into her car and they pulled away, heading back to their apartment. He closed the door and looked back down to his daughter. She was still sleeping soundly in his arms. He lightly kissed her forehead before heading up the stairs. He set her down in her crib gently, pulling the covers around her.

Yusei rubbed her head and kissed it again, "I love you, Anny." He looked over at his wife's locket sitting on the bedside table, "I still love you, Akiza."

* * *

**AnimeKiwi369:** I thought it would be a good idea to show how bad a state Yusei was in after Akiza left. He may be tough, but even he'd be a mess after his wife left. So that made this chapter very melancholy. **:**(

The next chapter will also be like the rest of the story. Nothing really looks up until the last chapter sadly. **:**(

But things do get better! **:**)

Anyway, please be kind and please review! I'll try to update this soon for those of you who are reading. **:**)


	3. Chapter 3

**AnimeKiwi369:** Okay, I know I said I was going to update _"Second War"_ the day after I published _"Feverish Wishes"_, but I kept getting distracted by the internet and things over the weekend and I haven't gotten _"Second War"_ prepped to update. I'm going to try to get that prepped after I get this chapter out.

Speaking of this chapter, the previous chapter seems to have gotten a considerable amount of views. So I'm very happy about that. Also big thanks to the reviewers: **TheRoseShadow21**, **DGMSilverAirHead03** and our anonymies, **PDS** and **Guest** (**x2**). You guys are really awesome!

So I don't have much else. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters. I just own the storyline and my OCs, which are pretty much just Dove and Anny in this one.

* * *

Through Bird's Eyes

Chapter 3

Dove watched Yusei as he finished untying Anny's braid and ran his fingers through her hair as a way to comb it out. He carefully placed a small wreath of plastic branches and small pink silk flowers on top of her head. She smiled and threw her arms around his neck. The little girl was now six and was currently in a very light pink sleeveless dress with a lavender sash. She had on little light pink high heels that were only an inch or so high. A small mahogany basket filled with multiple colored rose petals sat nearby.

The blonde looked at the dark-haired father, who was gently embracing his daughter back, smiling gently. She had forgotten how well the cobalt-eyed Signer could clean up. He was in a white button down dress shirt, black dress pants, dress shoes, tie, vest, and jacket. Essentially a suit. The necktie was a little offset, but Luna had fixed it earlier. The dark-haired Signer had stayed strong since his wife's leaving five years prior and was a wonderful, loving, caring father to his daughter. The girl knew her mother had left to protect her and wished she would come home, but was happy that she had her father.

The bird-named woman looked at the full length mirror again. She was wearing a white floor-length dress with a green bodice and a thin silver fabric overlaying the skirt. She had on white one-inch high heels and a silvery veil rested on top of her head. Her lips were decorated with a light pink lip gloss and her eyes were accentuated by a thin layer of eyeliner and mascara. Her platinum blonde hair was perfectly curled at the ends. Long translucent white arm guarders covered her arms. And a bouquet of white lilies resided in her hands.

She still couldn't believe the day had come. She was finally marrying the man she loved with all her heart.

Crow Hogan.

Dove Merrineten was finally going to become Dove Hogan.

Anny was her flower girl, and Yusei was just making sure she was ready and not nervous. He was also keeping the blonde and his daughter company until it came time for the wedding to start. Jack and Carly's son, Brandon, was co-ring bearer with Kalin and Misty's son, Luke. The green-eyed woman looked back at the cobalt-eyed man. He picked up his daughter as he stood, looking at her.

"You look beautiful, Dove," he told her, smiling gently.

He blushed slightly. Over the last few years, she'd come to see the lead Signer as an older brother-figure in addition to her actual older brother, Randal, "Thank you."

He looked at the ceiling nostalgically, "I can still remember how beautiful Anny's mother looked on our wedding day."

The blonde smiled in reminiscence as well, "I do, too." She laughed a little nervously, "I have to admit, I didn't think I'd be _this_ nervous."

The door to the bride's ready room opened and Mina popped her head in, "The wedding's about to start. Better get out here, Yusei."

He nodded and looked back at the blonde woman as he set down his daughter, "You'll be fine, Dove." He knelt down and kissed his daughter's head, "You know what to do, right, Anny?"

The little girl nodded, grinning as she picked up her basket of rose petals, "Yes, papa."

"I'll see you two in a little bit, okay?" The Signer told them.

"Okay," the bride and little girl said as he left the room.

Anny went over to the blonde woman and hugged her, burying her head in the woman's abdomen, "Aunty Dove, you're so pretty. I know you'll be great."

Dove smiled down at the six-year-old and lightly hugged her back. She'd helped to raise the little girl and felt like the dark-haired girl was a daughter to her. She liked feeling important to the little girl, "Thank you, Anny. You'll do great, too." She stroked the girl's dark hair, "You're the most beautiful, perfect sweetheart to be my flower girl."

The girl smiled and hugged the bride more tightly, "Oh, Aunty Dove."

The bird-named woman stroked the girl's hair again as Mina opened the door again, telling them they were just about ready for them.

"Ready, Anny?" The blonde asked

She looked up and nodded, "Yeah."

_**Three Years Later**_

_Negative. _

Dove Hogan sighed, putting the pregnancy test down. She wasn't pregnant. Again. How many did this test make now? She and Crow had been married for three years, and she still wasn't a mother. She and her husband had wanted to start a family from the very beginning. The blonde was beginning to think how Akiza had before she and her husband succeeded in conceiving Anny. That she wasn't meant to be a mother.

Was she being punished because she and Crow had been sleeping together since they were in their early twenties?

She desperately wanted to be a mother. So why wasn't she able to have a child of her own? She'd had her reproductive system looked over and nothing was wrong. So why couldn't she get pregnant?

She sighed again, sitting on the couch. When she and the ginger-haired Signer had married, Yusei had offered to let them move into his house with him and his daughter. The two had been hesitant at first, but they did want to look into getting a bigger place and by living with the other Signer and his daughter, it'd be easier to pay bills and whatnot. That and the bird-named couple knew that the cobalt-eyed man was also lonely, even if he didn't show it.

So, they moved in with the Fudos. But with it were certain precautions they had to take. Such as keeping their sex life from the young girl. She was much too young to know about _that_. As a result, the married couple couldn't really sneak up to their bedroom while the girl was home and usually had to wait until she was asleep to have a little fun. Even with keeping that in mind, they still were able to have a decent sex life.

Dove sighed again, unable to stop looking at the negative result. She heard footsteps come down the stairs and figured Anny was finished with her shower. The previous week, the young girl had been climbing a tree chasing her friends Brandon and Luke, and fell out of the tree, dislocating her shoulder in the process. Luckily, the girl's father had been around at the time, finishing up fixing a neighbor's engine when she fell. She was having issues with doing little things, and the brown-eyed girl hated it.

"Aunty Dove?" The dark-haired girl asked.

She looked over at the girl and gave a forced smile. She saw the girl had her shampoo in her good hand even though her hair was wet, "Yes, Anny?"

"Can you wash my hair in the kitchen sink, please?" She inquired, "It hurts too much to wash it myself."

The bird-named woman got up and went over to the girl, rubbing her wet hair, "Of course, little bird."

The brown-eyed girl smiled up at her, "Thank you."

"Give me a minute, okay?"

"Okay."

The blonde watched Yusei and Akiza's daughter as she went into the kitchen. Dove went up the stairs and grabbed a couple of towels before heading back down the stairs. She looked back at the pregnancy test and sighed again before heading into the kitchen. The brown-eyed girl was sitting in the adjustable chair that the blonde had. She often cut or trimmed Anny, Crow, and Yusei's hair to save costs, so she had an adjustable chair that leaned back.

She leaned the girl back and turned the facet on, starting to rewet her 'niece's' hair. The green-eyed woman stared absently out of the kitchen window as she started to wash the injured girl's hair. She was still distracted from the test.

"Aunty Dove, are you all right?"

The blonde shook her head, coming out of her trance, "No, Anny, I'm not."

"How come?" She asked.

She looked back at the living room, "When you were in the shower, I took a pregnancy test. And it came out negative. I'm not pregnant, like I wanted."

"Oh," the brown-eyed girl replied. "I'm sorry, Aunty Dove. Can I ask you why you want to be pregnant?"

"I don't mind," she responded. "It's just that I want to have a baby. I really want to be a mother. I want to be able to know what it's like to have a child of my own, Anny." She dried her hand and lightly stroked the girl's cheek, "I still like thinking of you as my daughter, though, little bird."

"Aunt Dove…" Anny trailed off, smiling a little.

The blonde looked into the dark-haired girl's eyes, smiling softly and sadly. She had her mother's eyes. Even though Akiza wasn't around anymore, Dove still couldn't help but be a little jealous of her friend.

At least the psychic was able to be a mother. Even if only for a short time.

_**That Night**_

The green-eyed woman put the last dish away as she finished drying it. The rest of the day and the evening had gone slowly, much to her chagrin. She wanted to forget about the day and the negative test. She never liked days when she had a result like that. The blonde hadn't told her husband, although he had noticed something was wrong. Crow didn't say anything, but was probably planning something to make her smile later that evening.

She didn't think she could smile though. She was too depressed, like she always got when another test told her she wasn't pregnant. She had mostly been quiet after she had finished washing the dark-haired girl's hair. The blonde had read a book and did some laundry before making dinner. Yusei and her husband had come home around the same time and just relaxed before dinner, since it had been a tough day for them at work. The dark-haired Signer had helped his daughter in a tabletop duel against the ginger-haired Signer by holding her cards to pass the time.

The blonde left the kitchen and began to head up the stairs as the cobalt-eyed man was going down the stairs. He must have been coming down after putting his daughter to bed. It was starting to get rather late. The dark-haired man was probably coming back downstairs to work on his duel runner or car or some other thing. Or maybe it was to work on a design for a client.

"Did she fall asleep?" The blonde asked quietly.

"Yeah," he replied, smiling a little. "She got pretty tired after taking some of those pain pills the doctor prescribed for her shoulder. It was kind of cute, the way she fell asleep. Crow has something planned for you guys, by the way. I'm going to look over the engine in your car before I head to bed. You did say your car wasn't sounding too well, right?"

"Right," she replied absently.

"Is everything all right, Dove?" He asked, looking at her fully, stopping a step below her.

"I'll be fine," she told him. "I just need time to get over something."

"Negative pregnancy test?" He guessed. He'd known her long enough to know how she got when the test disappointed her. Akiza had been the same way before they had succeeded.

"Yeah," she sighed.

He reached up and squeezed her arm, "Don't worry, Dove. I'm sure you and Crow will get pregnant. You just can't give up on the idea."

She nodded numbly before heading up the stairs again. She went to her and her husband's room. The door was closed. She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to know what the ginger had planned. The blond ignored it and turned the doorknob, slowly opening the door. She went into the bedroom, leaning against the door as she closed it, hanging her head a little. She noticed the lights were dimmed and lifted her head.

The lights were low and a few candles were lit around the room. She smelled the faint scent of vanilla and citrus emitting from the candles. She looked over and saw a bottle of white wine and two glasses on the bedside table. Her eyes wandered over to her husband, who was lying on his side in their bed, his head propped up on the hand of his propped elbow. A rose was resting in his mouth in the clichéd tango fashion.

Her hand twitched. Any other night she would have _loved_ this.

Crow looked at her seductively as he stood up and made his way over to her, taking the rose from his teeth, "I thought I'd do something special for you since you seemed down. And this normally cheers you up."

"Crow…" She whispered, "This is so sweet. But I just can't get in the mood. Not after today."

"Dove, what happened when I was at work?" He asked, looking her dead on.

"I had another negative today," she replied.

"I should have guessed," he commented. He lightly kissed her forehead, "Dove, don't worry. We'll get pregnant. It's just not our time yet."

"When _will_ our time be, Crow?!" She exclaimed, falling against his chest, hitting him, "I've waited _years_ to get pregnant! Everyone else has been able to succeed. Akiza, Carly, Misty! Even Sherry! Why can't I get pregnant?! Why…can't I…get pregnant?"

"Shhh…." He whispered, holding her tightly against his chest.

"I want to be a mother!" She cried, "I'm jealous of everyone. Why can't we have a family? Why can't we be lucky like everyone else? Why can't I feel the most important part of being a woman?"

Dove sobbed heavily for several minutes into Crow, her tears soaking through his shirt. The Signer said nothing, but held her tightly as she cried. He kept an arm around her shoulders and slipped his other arm behind her knees, lifting her in a bridal style. He carried her over to their bed, laying her down on the bed as he lied down. The ginger held her trembling form as she cried her heart out. He hadn't known that his wife had wanted so badly to be a mother. He knew she wanted to be a mother, but didn't know she was so passionate about it. He wanted to be a parent as well, but he just enjoyed being married to his wife; he did want to be a father eventually though.

"Dove," he said as his wife's sobbing ceased, "I never knew you felt this way." She nodded numbly into his chest. He stroked her hair and brushed his lips against her forehead, "It may not be you. It might be me. Maybe it's because of me you can't get pregnant."

"Or maybe we're just not meant to be parents," she whispered, a few more tears falling.

"Don't say that, Dove," he told her. "Even if we can't get pregnant, we can always adopt or foster. We'll find a way to be parents one way or another. And we can always keep trying to have a child of our own. But no matter what, Dove, I will stand by you until the day I die, and I won't stop loving you."

She looked up at him with large emerald eyes that were still sad, "Crow…"

He brushed the hair away from her face and gently kissed her lips, "I love you, Dove. Don't forget that."

"I love you, too, Crow," she replied quietly. "I love you so much."

"I know," he said soothingly, rubbing the small of her back in circles. He brushed the tears away from her eyes with his fingers before closing them for her. He pulled her tighter against his chest, "You've had a tough day. You should get some rest. I'll stay here until you wake up. We can even both stay in bed all morning if you want."

Dove nodded numbly again as her husband continued to hold her through the night.

* * *

**AnimeKiwi369:** Yes, this chapter was also sad like the previous chapter. However, the next, and final chapter, will be much lighter. Hopefully that'll be up in a week or so. And hopefully I can get _"Second War"_ up by tomorrow morning or tomorrow night. If not, I'll try to get it up by Wednesday afternoon, since I have a half-day of school.

I don't have much else to say. Reviews are much appreciated. So please be kind and please review! **:**]


	4. Chapter 4

**AnimeKiwi369:** I'm so sorry I haven't updated this in almost three weeks. I have no excuse. Please forgive me. As a result, I'm not going to dillydally this update. This is the last chapter though.

Big thanks to: **Gotta be Annoying**, **DGMSilverAirHead03**, **Sunheart13**, and our anonymous reviewers **anon** and **PDS** for reviewing. Thank you so much.

I hope you enjoy this last chapter. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or its characters. I just own the storyline, my OCs, and that's about it. Please enjoy.

* * *

Through Bird's Eyes

Chapter 4

_Positive._

Dove stared in awe at her hands. Positive. Positive, positive, positive, positive! After so many years, it was finally giving her a positive result. She was pregnant. Pregnant! She couldn't believe it. She had wanted this for so many years, and now it was actually happening. The blonde didn't think it could happen at her age. She was getting close to forty-two. She'd stopped believing she could get pregnant when she was thirty-nine. But she hadn't been feeling well in the mornings and was late and decided to chance it.

This was… This was…. This was so _amazing! _This was her dream come true. She was going to be a mother. She would finally be a mother. After almost ten years of marriage and almost twenty years of being with Crow, she was finally going to have his child. They would be parents! She'd been like a mother to Anny since Akiza left, but now she was going to have a baby of her own. She couldn't wait; she had waited much too long for this. The green-eyed woman would be able to experience one of the most amazing and _natural_ things that could happen to a woman.

_She was pregnant._

Dove kept staring at her pregnancy test as she sat around the living room of the house she and her husband shared with Yusei and his daughter. Though she had her father's hair color, she looked incredibly like her mother with her features and eyes. The dark-haired girl was currently fifteen and a half and beginning to start driver's training. Well, for the car anyway. She'd had her turbo duel license for about three months. Anny was a sweet girl and loved her father dearly, along with the bird-named couple.

The blonde clutched the pregnancy test to her chest as she lied back on the couch. She touched her abdomen with her free hand. Dove just couldn't get over it. She was so happy. She hadn't been that happy since her wedding day. The blonde was going to be mother. She let out a contented sigh as she heard the front door open and footsteps start to head towards the stairs.

"Aunt Dove, is everything okay?" Anny asked as she saw her surrogate aunt lying on the couch.

The blonde woman stood up from the couch and looked over at her 'niece'. The young girl was in her Duel Academy Uniform, her jacket draped over her arm as she carried her books and backpack up the stairs. It was Friday, and the girl's backpack didn't look too heavy, so hopefully she didn't have much homework for over the weekend. Dove went over to the dark-haired girl and gently embraced her. She lightly pressed the girl's head into her shoulder as she lightly nestled the brown-eyed girl's hair.

"Aunt Dove?" She inquired. "What's going on?"

"Anny," the blonde told her adopted niece, "I'm pregnant."

The dark-haired girl pulled back from her surrogate aunt and looked at her with wide eyes. She looked at the green-eyed woman's abdomen. She smiled brightly at the blonde, "Aunt Dove, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Anny," she replied. "I can't wait to tell Crow and your father."

"They're going to be thrilled!" The young psychic said.

"I know," the green-eyed woman responded, closing her eyes and smiling to herself. She placed a hand on her abdomen, "I'm so happy."

_**That Night**_

Dove looked at the kitchen doorway as Yusei walked into the house through the garage. She looked for Crow behind him, but did not see her husband. She frowned a little and looked back towards the dinner she was cooking. She wanted to surprise the ginger with his favorite meal and dessert. Then she would tell him after dinner when they were alone. She had originally planned to wait for a month so to tell him, since Valentine's Day was the following month. But she was too excited to contain herself.

The dark-haired Signer came over to her, looking over her shoulder as she cooked, "Smells good, Dove. And looks like it's Crow's favorite."

"It is," she replied in a singsong voice. "Hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind," he replied. "I'm just a little surprised. What's the occasion?"

"It's just been a good day," she told him.

"Oh?" He inquired, "What happened?"

"Anny's not going to be the only child around her anymore, Yusei," she replied to her friend.

Yusei smiled at her, knowing what she meant, and lightly embraced her, "You're pregnant." He stated, "That's terrific. This news is going to make Crow's day."

"Where is my silly husband anyway?" She asked, hugging her friend back.

"He had one more delivery, but he's going to be home in about ten to twenty minutes," the Signer informed.

"I can't wait to tell him," Dove said. "I know he'll be excited."

_**Later that Night**_

Crow let out a tired yet contented sigh as his wife wrapped her arms around him from behind his recliner in the living room. She'd been acting a little strange that evening, and had a certain glow about her he couldn't place. He didn't mind though; it was good to see his wife so happy. The ginger was just curious as to what the occasion was. The blonde had cooked his favorite meal and had made dessert for him. Including an after-dinner drink.

Something was up, and it didn't seem like a bad thing. But it was a bit peculiar. Yusei and Anny had seemed to know what was going on, however they didn't tell him anything. The two of them were upstairs with the cobalt-eyed man helping his daughter with her trigonometry homework. Crow quietly, set down his drink on the table next to his chair and looked up at his wife, who was nestling her face in his hair a little.

"Is something going on, Dove?" He asked.

She smiled down at him and placed a kiss on his forehead, "Just something wonderful."

"And what would that be?" He inquired.

"Well," she started, running her fingers through his hair as she came around to him, "I'll give you three clues."

"All right," the ginger chuckled, "I'll play along."

"Well, what reminds you of the pitter-patter of rain but isn't rain, makes you stay up all night, and something we've wanted to have for a long time?" She teased slightly as she went around and sat on his lap.

His eyes widened as he looked from his wife's face to her abdomen back to her face, "A baby? You're pregnant? We're going to be parents? We're going to have a baby?!"

She lightly kissed his cheek, "We're going to have a baby."

_**Fourteen Months Later**_

Dove yawned as she moved around the kitchen. Akiza and everyone else hadn't been kidding when they said how much work babies were. The blonde wasn't minding though. Her and Crow's baby girl was just such a blessing and a sweetheart. Their little Owl Annylynn Hogan was so perfect, and she and her husband were so happy. After nearly ten baby-less years of marriage, the two could finally share what all their friends had and enjoy every minute of it.

Her daughter was so adorable, and Anny loved spending time with the little person. The baby had soft silky platinum blonde hair with gray eyes that had hints of emerald green. She was just a little darling. The blonde mother's adopted niece was so kind by offering to babysit for them. The baby was so incredibly difficult to take care of because she _was_ a baby. But it was so worth it. So incredibly worth it.

The last several months had been a whirlwind. On Anny's sixteenth birthday, Yusei had been involved in a horrible accident that put him into a several hour surgery and coma for nearly two months. The Signer's daughter had made up her mind to try and thought the only way to wake up her father was to find her mother and bring her home. So she set out to find Akiza. And she'd found her mother and brought her back to New Domino. The burgundy-haired woman had been able to wake up her husband, as well.

Now the Fudo family was back together, just like it had been before the redhead's powers went out of control. The Fudos couldn't have been happier.

Dove couldn't be happier that her best friend was back, and could be with her family again, though it was a little strange seeing her friend again after all these years and living in the same house.

The blonde quietly made tea and some toast as she stretched, waking up still. It was her day off, so she'd slept in as best she could with the baby. Unfortunately, Crow was working that day, but he'd be home for lunch to see his wife and baby girl. And that day he got off earlier than normal. The green-eyed woman wasn't sure if Yusei was going into work that day or not as he was still recovering from his crash and still in physical therapy, even though it had been six months since he'd began. Six months since Akiza returned and Owl had been born as well.

Time flew so fast. The dark-haired man's daughter had the day off, since it was Saturday, but she seemed to be out of the house already. She was probably with Kyle, her boyfriend, whom she met while looking for her mother and who moved to New Domino. Either that or she was with her friends Brandon and Luke, who were Jack and Carly and Kalin and Misty's sons respectively.

The blonde shut off the flame on the stove and pulled her toast out of the toaster. She shivered a bit and temporarily left the kitchen to turn up the heat, since it was February. She heard a faint cry from upstairs, and figured her daughter wanted her. Dove quietly went upstairs and retrieved her almost six-month-old daughter. The baby clung to her mother as she headed back down into the kitchen. She placed the baby in her highchair and poured herself the tea she made earlier, sipping on it as she made a bottle for the baby.

The blonde nibbled on her toast before she picked up her daughter again and fed the bottle to her daughter.

She heard footsteps and looked over to see Akiza, looking a little sleepy, but extremely contented as she came over to the kitchen table in her bathrobe. She was currently working part-time at a flower shop, but was hoping she'd be able to get a job as a teacher at one of the schools the next school year. It was her day off as well. The psychic spent most of her free time with her husband, catching up on the lost years and helping him with therapy and such.

Even though it'd been six months, everything had been kind of hectic, and the blonde hadn't really had much time to spend with her friend. The brown-eyed woman had visited her and Crow in the hospital after Owl was born, but other than that, they'd visited very few times. And Dove felt she and her friend still had to reconcile. But mainly for the fact that the blonde never got to tell her best friend how jealous she had been of her or how much she had missed her.

"Good morning, Akiza," she greeted.

"Morning, Dove," the redhead replied with a slightly yawn, but also with a lightness in her voice she hadn't heard in a long time.

"You seem tired," the blonde commented.

"I was up late," the psychic told her. "Before you and Crow came home, I was finishing up one of my résumés, and then Yusei surprised me by taking me to dinner and a movie after he got home."

"So both of you got in late?" Dove guessed.

"Yeah," Akiza replied, blushing ever so slightly. "You know, I'm so glad I hadn't forgotten how manly Yusei was."

"The two of you had a little fun, did you?" The blonde asked, laughing a little. Her friend's blush deepened a little; she giggled again, "You're too funny, Akiza. There's no shame in saying you two got lucky."

"Okay," the psychic replied, still blushing a little. "So, Yusei and I had a little fun in bed last night. It's been so long since the two of us have been _that_ close."

The blonde chuckled, "You're so cute, Akiza. Being all embarrassed about having done _that_ and all." She sighed contentedly as she removed the bottle from Owl's mouth, gently beginning to pat her back, "It's funny. We haven't had a real conversation for almost sixteen years. And this time, I'm the one with the baby."

"It is kind of funny, Dove," she replied. She looked down, "I really missed our conversations, Dove. I missed having someone to talk to."

"I did, too," the green-eyed woman replied, reaching across to grab her friend's hand in a similar manner the psychic had all those years ago. "I talked to Carly and Misty and Luna and Sherry, but it just wasn't the same as talking with my friend, Akiza."

"And I talked to my neighbors and colleagues, but it wasn't the same either," she responded. "I could never feel as open with them as I did with you."

"Same here," the new mother agreed as she gently rocked the infant.

The burgundy-haired woman sighed, watching Dove, "I'm so happy for you, Dove. I'm so glad you can have a child of your own. And I'm so glad you were there to raise Anny….after I abandoned her."

"Akiza, you did it so you wouldn't hurt her," the blonde said. "Please. Stop blaming yourself."

"I can't help it," she replied softly. "I didn't raise my daughter. And soon, she'll be off in college. I can't help but feel a little jealous of you, Dove. You've gotten to raise my little Annylynn, and now you can raise your own baby."

"I used to be jealous of you, you know," the green-eyed woman told her.

"What?" The psychic asked a little surprised.

"It's true," Dove responded, "When you were pregnant, when you had Anny, when I wasn't able to get pregnant. I was jealous of you. I couldn't help thinking how luck you were, and how unlucky I was. And after you left, I could only be an aunt to Anny because I could never replace you as her mother. And then Crow and I had so much trouble conceiving. I thought I'd never be a mother, and that made me even more envious of you. But then I did get pregnant. I wasn't able to come clean to you, though. And I always felt bad for feeling so jealous of you and that I couldn't tell you."

"I have to tell you, Dove," Akiza replied, "After I left, I was jealous of you because I knew you'd be there to raise my baby girl, and you did. And I was jealous because you were able to do what I couldn't." She looked up smiling softly ever so slightly, "But I can finish raising her and catch up on the years I lost."

The blonde returned the smile, "Yes. And I can focus on raising my baby."

"It felt really good to come clean like this, Dove," the redhead told her friend. "Ever since I came back, I felt like I hadn't been able to connect with you as well I could have."

"I agree, Akiza," she replied. "Now we can move on and get back to our friendship."

The psychic merely smiled.

_**That Night**_

Dove quietly kissed Crow's forehead as he lay on their bed, fast asleep from fatigue. It was only about nine, but the ginger was exhausted from work. Owl was tired as well, and the blonde carefully placed the baby in her crib before looking over at her husband, who was somewhat loudly snoring away. She smiled softly at him as he slept. Sometimes she still couldn't believe they'd been together for so long. Or lived together for almost as long.

It was sometimes strange to think she had been able to experience everything that had happened since she met the Signers and Team 5D's. She'd seen everything. Meeting her best friend, Akiza, other life-long friends, and the love of her life, Crow. Watching her best friend marry Yusei, the psychic's love of her life, and then having a few difficult years when her friend hadn't succeeded in getting pregnant. Seeing the psychic get pregnant, seeing her go through her pregnancy, having Anny, and seeing how much her friend loved being a mother and loving her daughter.

Having to experience Akiza leaving and not having a best friend for fifteen years. Getting the chance to help Yusei raise his daughter. And seeing the young psychic blossom into a beautiful young woman.

Becoming expectant herself after nearly ten years of marriage and having Owl.

Seeing her best friend come back and watch as the Fudo family came back together.

Dove wouldn't trade what she experienced over the years for anything. Everything she'd seen and experienced was more special to her because of what she'd been through. She'd gotten to see _everything_ through her eyes.

* * *

**AnimeKiwi369:** And that's it! I hope you enjoyed that. The ending had me stuck for a little bit but I got over that. I'm still so sorry I didn't finish updating this sooner. I had it in my mind, and then, I just never got around to it. Because I didn't feel like updating. So I apologize a thousand times.

Thank you to everyone who read this and an even bigger thanks to everyone who enjoyed this! You guys make my day. **:**]

So please be kind and please review! And thanks again so much! **:**3


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